Picture this: you just got home from the grocery store and you've got ten bags full of goodies. There is no way you're taking multiple trips to get everything inside. Luckily you don't have to, because you've been working out — and specifically targeting those biceps [1]. So you load your arms, flex your muscles, and carry it all in at once. Sounds convenient, right?
Your biceps are the large muscles that run down the front of your upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow. "Biceps are responsible for flexion and extension of the elbow. So functionally, think of everything that you do that requires bending your elbow — from things like carrying all the groceries from the car in one trip to bringing your coffee to your mouth for the first sip in the morning," says Megan Cloe [2], Group X instructor and trainer at Bay Club El Segundo [3] and; Bay Club Santa Monica [4].
"Training biceps could help reduce the risk of injury to the elbow joint and potentially help prevent things like tendonitis in the wrist, elbow, and shoulder," Cloe says. If you're not sure where to start though, we've got you covered. While the first move that might come to your mind to train your biceps is a biceps curl, there are plenty of exercises that involve the biceps as a secondary muscle group. "The great thing about biceps, is that even if you don't love biceps curls, you can train biceps in many other compound exercises [5], like chest presses or push-ups [6]," Cloe says.
Ahead, she put together a simple biceps workout to help you build up your strength. Try these moves together as a full upper body workout [7], or add them to your current routine to train your biceps on your next arm day [8].
Simple Biceps Building Workout
Equipment needed: One pair of light to medium dumbbells (five to 10 pounds). We're loving the PS Neoprene Dumbbells [9] ($7), available in three, five, eight, or ten-pounds. If you have any injuries affecting grip strength, you may want to try a pair of PS Wrist Weights [10] ($30), available at two pounds each. Make sure to choose a weight [11] appropriate for your fitness level. You may also want a yoga mat like this one [12] to perform your pushups.
Biceps Curl: 10 reps
Triceps Push-up: 10 reps
Single-Arm Row: 10 reps
Dumbbell Bench Press: 10 reps
Triceps Kickback: 10 reps
Hammer Curl:10 reps
Biceps Curl
Biceps curls are an arm day favorite for a reason: they work. "There are two different phases of the biceps curl: the concentric phase, or the 'up' phase of the curl where the muscle is contracting (getting shorter); and then there is the eccentric or 'down' phase of the curl where the muscle is getting longer," Cloe says. The eccentric phase is where muscles get stronger." Here's how to a biceps curl:
- Start standing with your feet hip width apart and a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing away from you at your sides.
- Bend your elbows, bringing the weight up to your shoulders.
- Straighten your arms to bring your weights back to the starting position.
- Repeat for 10 reps.
Single-Arm Row
In a row, the major muscle group being used is the back, but the biceps help to pull the weight up from the elbow. Here's how to do a single-arm row:
- Start standing with your feet hip width apart, and a dumbbell in your right hand.
- Step your left leg in front of your and hinge your hips forward about 45 degrees.
- Bend your elbow and bring the dumbbell up to your hip.
- Straighten your elbow to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for 10 reps on the right arm, then complete 10 reps on the left arm.
Triceps Push-Up
In a triceps push-up your arms are closer to your body, which requires more assistance from your arms — as opposed to a traditional push-up, which targets more of your chest. If you are not able to perform the push-up from your toes, you can opt to perform from your knees. Here's how to do a triceps push-up:
- Start in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders. Keep your fingers wide, for better support, and keep your chin untucked to make sure the move is performed by your chest, and not your shoulders.
- Bend your elbows, bringing your chest about three inches from the floor.
- Push away from the ground, and return to the starting position.
- Repeat for 10 reps.
Dumbbell Bench Press
Though a bench press is mostly chest, your biceps are needed to bend and straighten your elbow. Here's how to a dumbbell bench press:
- Lay on a bench or on the floor with a dumbbell in each hand, elbows bent, and your arms at a 45 degree angle. If on the floor bend your knees and put your feet flat on the floor.
- Push the dumbbells above your head until your arms are straight
- Bend your elbows to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for 10 reps.
Hammer Curl
The hammer and biceps curl are similar, but they do not actually target the same muscle. Cloe explains: "The biceps have two different heads to the muscle: the short and the long head. There is another muscle that isn't really part of the biceps, called the brachialis, that contributes to overall biceps definition and strength and that is targeted primarily in the hammer curl." Here's how to do a hammer curl:
- Start standing with your feet hip width apart and a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing toward your body at your sides.
- Bend your elbows, bringing the weight up to your shoulders.
- Straighten your arms to bring your weights back to the starting position.
- Repeat for 10 reps.
Triceps Kickback
With a triceps kickback you can train your biceps and triceps simultaneously, as they work in opposition to straighten the elbow. Here's how to do a triceps kickback:
- Start standing with your feet hip width apart and a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing toward your body, and elbows bent at your sides.
- Hinge slightly forward until your chest is at a 45 degree angle.
- Keeping your arms tight to your body, straighten your elbows.
- Bend your elbows to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for 10 reps.
Brittany Hammond [13] is a NASM-certified fitness instructor, a fitness writer, and an avid reader. In addition to PS, she has contributed to Livestrong.com, Well+Good, Verywell Fit, and Health.com. She has worked as a group fitness coach for the past seven years.